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Lost Legends #4
Zero to Hero
The fourth book in an exciting middle grade series that features the adventures of Disney’s most lovable roguish heroes as kids!
Before he saved Mount Olympus…Hercules was just a boy trying to find his way. “How am I supposed to prove myself a hero if no one will give me a chance?”
Twelve-year-old Hercules doesn’t fit in. He’s awkward and clumsy, and his excessive strength tends to be more hurtful than it is helpful. But Herc believes that if he was just given the chance to prove himself, he could show everyone that he really does belong. Of course Hercules never expected his chance to come by way of an angry goddess.
One night, a prized olive grove is ruined and the goddess Nike appears, looking for a culprit. Hercules’s neighbors are quick to accuse him until an older boy named Theseus steps in and defends Hercules. Theseus believes Hercules didn’t cause the destruction and volunteers to accompany him on a quest to Athens to clear his name. The two set off and soon encounter giants, robbers, and sea monsters who try to stop them. Hercules is glad to have Theseus by his side, but he can’t help but wonder—is Theseus truly doing this out of the goodness of his heart? Or does he also have something to prove?
Filled with impressive feats and inspiring friendship, the Lost Legends series explores the untold origins of Disney’s most infamous rogue boys.
Before he saved Mount Olympus…Hercules was just a boy trying to find his way. “How am I supposed to prove myself a hero if no one will give me a chance?”
Twelve-year-old Hercules doesn’t fit in. He’s awkward and clumsy, and his excessive strength tends to be more hurtful than it is helpful. But Herc believes that if he was just given the chance to prove himself, he could show everyone that he really does belong. Of course Hercules never expected his chance to come by way of an angry goddess.
One night, a prized olive grove is ruined and the goddess Nike appears, looking for a culprit. Hercules’s neighbors are quick to accuse him until an older boy named Theseus steps in and defends Hercules. Theseus believes Hercules didn’t cause the destruction and volunteers to accompany him on a quest to Athens to clear his name. The two set off and soon encounter giants, robbers, and sea monsters who try to stop them. Hercules is glad to have Theseus by his side, but he can’t help but wonder—is Theseus truly doing this out of the goodness of his heart? Or does he also have something to prove?
Filled with impressive feats and inspiring friendship, the Lost Legends series explores the untold origins of Disney’s most infamous rogue boys.
192 pages, Unknown Binding
First published October 15, 2024
8 people are currently reading
838 people want to read
About the author
Jen Calonita
101 books3,685 followersHi Goodreads!
I'm Jen Calonita, a MG and YA author who loves what I do because it lets me connect with all of you (and no, I wasn't intending for that to rhyme!).
I've been writing ever since I can remember, but it was fourth grade when I put my "three wishes" for a genie down on paper. They were:
#1. Buy all the Cabbage Patch Kids in the world and give them away for free (because apparently that was how I rolled).
#2. I wanted a mansion, limo, lake house, pool and speed boat (still sounds quite nice).
#3. I wanted to be an author for young readers, which I am!
I love writing novels for teens (and for savvy grown ups who know that YA rocks at any age). My first series was "Secrets of My Hollywood Life" and it followed a teen star named Kaitlin Burke who struggled with the fame game. I have also written the stand-alone novels Sleepaway Girls, it's companion book, Summer State of Mind and the Belles series.
I've been writing middle grade too and am having so much fun with my series Fairy Tale Reform School! The fourth book in this series about a school run by former villains is called Tricked and will be out March 2018. Ever wonder what it would be like if your parents got a job with someone like Taylpr Swift? My other middle grade series, VIP, follows super fan Mackenzie Lowell as she tours with her favorite band, Perfect Storm.
I promise to give book updates here, and on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or my website. I hope I hear from you!
xo
Jen
I'm Jen Calonita, a MG and YA author who loves what I do because it lets me connect with all of you (and no, I wasn't intending for that to rhyme!).
I've been writing ever since I can remember, but it was fourth grade when I put my "three wishes" for a genie down on paper. They were:
#1. Buy all the Cabbage Patch Kids in the world and give them away for free (because apparently that was how I rolled).
#2. I wanted a mansion, limo, lake house, pool and speed boat (still sounds quite nice).
#3. I wanted to be an author for young readers, which I am!
I love writing novels for teens (and for savvy grown ups who know that YA rocks at any age). My first series was "Secrets of My Hollywood Life" and it followed a teen star named Kaitlin Burke who struggled with the fame game. I have also written the stand-alone novels Sleepaway Girls, it's companion book, Summer State of Mind and the Belles series.
I've been writing middle grade too and am having so much fun with my series Fairy Tale Reform School! The fourth book in this series about a school run by former villains is called Tricked and will be out March 2018. Ever wonder what it would be like if your parents got a job with someone like Taylpr Swift? My other middle grade series, VIP, follows super fan Mackenzie Lowell as she tours with her favorite band, Perfect Storm.
I promise to give book updates here, and on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or my website. I hope I hear from you!
xo
Jen
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
October 15, 2024
Another phenomenal story from Jen Calonita!
We get to see Herc in a younger setting and watch him grow.
In this story, an olive garden is destroyed and when a goddess shows up looking for the one responsible, Hercules is the name on every tongue.
An unexpected alley shows up in the form of Theseus. He defends Hercules and the two go on an epic adventure to clear his name. They battle all sorts of creatures and learn about themselves along the way.
I really enjoyed this addition to the movie we know and love!
We get to see Herc in a younger setting and watch him grow.
In this story, an olive garden is destroyed and when a goddess shows up looking for the one responsible, Hercules is the name on every tongue.
An unexpected alley shows up in the form of Theseus. He defends Hercules and the two go on an epic adventure to clear his name. They battle all sorts of creatures and learn about themselves along the way.
I really enjoyed this addition to the movie we know and love!
August 15, 2024
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Pain and Panic, Hades' minions, are very concerned that the Fates will let their secret out, and Hades will torture them. Somehow, he still doesn't know that the didn't do in the infant Hercules, but let him be raised by a couple in Argos. Now twelve, Hercules is having some troubles, since he doesn't understand his powers and frequently causes havoc in town. It's hard to make friends when the popular Aias calls him "Jerkules", but out intrepid hero tries to stay positive. When he causes an olive oil vendor, Elpida, to have her cart broken and her products destroyed, he promises to make things right, but when he has replaced the cart and the inventory, someone ruins her entire olive grove. Of course, all eyes turn to Hercules. This makes Athena mad, and she threatens to destroy the entire town in retribution. Luckily, the goddess Nike intervenes, and gives the town an option: if a seed from the first olive tree planted in Athens can be brought back in a week, and the Cretan bull who has been savaging other olive groves can be subdued, the town won't be destroyed. Hercules isn't sure that he can do this alone, and luckily a new boy in town, Theseus, steps up. He's been nice to Hercules, but is a bit too sure of himself. Hercules finds a leather bound book on how to be a hero written by Philoctetes, and uses this to help plan their journey, but Theseus ignores all of the advice. He insists on taking a shortcut through centaur territory, and when the two run into trouble, is useless at fighting them. Only a palm frond given to them by the gods saves our two heroes to be. They also run into the robber Sciron on the road, and the giant Sinis, and both times narrowly escape because they are squabbling so much. Nike even appears again to tell them to get their act together and cooperate, or they will never m ake it! After another scuffle, this time with the Crommyian Sow, Theseus confides in Hercules that he was the one who ruined the grove, because he wanted Athena to help him meet Poseidon, who is possibly his father. Hercules tells him that he doesn't have to do the quest on his own, and they both have things to prove. Theseus does use his wrestling talents to take down Cercyon of Eluesis, but the boys manage to work together once they get to Athens. Armed with both the needed olive seed and the Cretan bull, will they be able to make it back to Argos in time to save the town?
Strengths: Calonita is a Disney fan, and her love of the shows is clearly evident. This was a little bit like reading a novel based on a television episode; I could see the Disney characters in my mind. The Lost Legends series also has books about other "infamous rogue boys", like Flynn Rider (Rapunzel?), Aladdin, and Kristoff from Frozen. This is rather fun, since so many of the Disney books I've seen feature the heroines. The details about mythology are great, and since it's a topic that is still interesting to middle grade readers, I love to see a new classical mythology title from time to time. Theseus and Hercules have to set aside their toxic masculinity to work together and complete their quest, which is a good twist on a hero's tale. I need a copy of this to go along with my Hercules throw, children's dishes, birthday cake decorations, thermos, McDonald's happy meal toys, Megara Barbie, and, yes, Hercules doll, which is NOT in mint condition.
Weaknesses: My children and I were HUGE fans of the Disney television series that aired in the late 1990s on which this book is based, so I found myself being really not picky! I can accept that the series had no Aias, and even that Theseus wasn't portrayed as Hercules' cousin with the alter ego of the Grim Avenger, because classical tales have always been open to interpretation. I did have a question about Hercules carrying around a leather bound book; he probably would have used scrolls. I also would have had more scenes of fighting monsters and beasts and less of the social emotional content, but I imagine that publishers encourage writers to get positive messages into franchise books like this.
What I really think: This is a great adventure tale set in ancient Greece that would be fantastic for Rick Riordan's The Lightning Thief fans, as well as for readers who enjoyed this author's Go the Distance (Hooray, Megara!), Yolen's Young Heroes series, McCaughrean's Hercules, or my favorite, Shipton's The Pig Scrolls.
Pain and Panic, Hades' minions, are very concerned that the Fates will let their secret out, and Hades will torture them. Somehow, he still doesn't know that the didn't do in the infant Hercules, but let him be raised by a couple in Argos. Now twelve, Hercules is having some troubles, since he doesn't understand his powers and frequently causes havoc in town. It's hard to make friends when the popular Aias calls him "Jerkules", but out intrepid hero tries to stay positive. When he causes an olive oil vendor, Elpida, to have her cart broken and her products destroyed, he promises to make things right, but when he has replaced the cart and the inventory, someone ruins her entire olive grove. Of course, all eyes turn to Hercules. This makes Athena mad, and she threatens to destroy the entire town in retribution. Luckily, the goddess Nike intervenes, and gives the town an option: if a seed from the first olive tree planted in Athens can be brought back in a week, and the Cretan bull who has been savaging other olive groves can be subdued, the town won't be destroyed. Hercules isn't sure that he can do this alone, and luckily a new boy in town, Theseus, steps up. He's been nice to Hercules, but is a bit too sure of himself. Hercules finds a leather bound book on how to be a hero written by Philoctetes, and uses this to help plan their journey, but Theseus ignores all of the advice. He insists on taking a shortcut through centaur territory, and when the two run into trouble, is useless at fighting them. Only a palm frond given to them by the gods saves our two heroes to be. They also run into the robber Sciron on the road, and the giant Sinis, and both times narrowly escape because they are squabbling so much. Nike even appears again to tell them to get their act together and cooperate, or they will never m ake it! After another scuffle, this time with the Crommyian Sow, Theseus confides in Hercules that he was the one who ruined the grove, because he wanted Athena to help him meet Poseidon, who is possibly his father. Hercules tells him that he doesn't have to do the quest on his own, and they both have things to prove. Theseus does use his wrestling talents to take down Cercyon of Eluesis, but the boys manage to work together once they get to Athens. Armed with both the needed olive seed and the Cretan bull, will they be able to make it back to Argos in time to save the town?
Strengths: Calonita is a Disney fan, and her love of the shows is clearly evident. This was a little bit like reading a novel based on a television episode; I could see the Disney characters in my mind. The Lost Legends series also has books about other "infamous rogue boys", like Flynn Rider (Rapunzel?), Aladdin, and Kristoff from Frozen. This is rather fun, since so many of the Disney books I've seen feature the heroines. The details about mythology are great, and since it's a topic that is still interesting to middle grade readers, I love to see a new classical mythology title from time to time. Theseus and Hercules have to set aside their toxic masculinity to work together and complete their quest, which is a good twist on a hero's tale. I need a copy of this to go along with my Hercules throw, children's dishes, birthday cake decorations, thermos, McDonald's happy meal toys, Megara Barbie, and, yes, Hercules doll, which is NOT in mint condition.
Weaknesses: My children and I were HUGE fans of the Disney television series that aired in the late 1990s on which this book is based, so I found myself being really not picky! I can accept that the series had no Aias, and even that Theseus wasn't portrayed as Hercules' cousin with the alter ego of the Grim Avenger, because classical tales have always been open to interpretation. I did have a question about Hercules carrying around a leather bound book; he probably would have used scrolls. I also would have had more scenes of fighting monsters and beasts and less of the social emotional content, but I imagine that publishers encourage writers to get positive messages into franchise books like this.
What I really think: This is a great adventure tale set in ancient Greece that would be fantastic for Rick Riordan's The Lightning Thief fans, as well as for readers who enjoyed this author's Go the Distance (Hooray, Megara!), Yolen's Young Heroes series, McCaughrean's Hercules, or my favorite, Shipton's The Pig Scrolls.
August 17, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Jen Calonita for the chance to preview this title. I’m a huge fan of twisted fairy tales! This prologue of Hercules’ early years is perfect for middle grade readers. The chapter subtitles allow students to connect what they know to predict the story. Some characters are familiar to those who have either seen the movie or have knowledge about Greek mythology. We get to follow Hercules and his new friend Theseus on their first quest to save their city. Many obstacles test their physical and mental abilities. Read along to discover how they go the distance.
January 16, 2025
For my 34th birthday in 2024, I got the 1st 3 books in Jen Calonita's Lost Legends series. The 1st book was called Lost Legends: The Rise of Flynn Rider. (Based on Tangled.) The 2nd book was called Lost Legends: Diamond in the Rough. (Based on Aladdin.) The 3rd book was called Lost Legends: The Fixer Upper. (Based on Frozen.) I think I mentioned it in the review of one the previous books, but the reason I was so intent on reading them was in anticipation of this book, Lost Legends: Zero to Hero, which is based on the movie Hercules. Jen Calonita is no stranger to writing for the world of this movie, having written a full length novel about it for the A Twisted Tale series, as well as short story that appeared in the A Twisted Tale anthology book, both of which I've read. Both the novel and the short story were called Go the Distance, and focused on the character of Meg, AKA Megara. I've always found it funny that the Meg-centered tales Jen had written both took their titles from the most famous song from the movie, Go the Distance, which was sung by Hercules himself.
With Lost Legends: Zero to Hero, which is named for another well-known song from the movie, Herc takes center stage. The premise of the whole Lost Legends series is that they're about the boyhoods of the most roguish male characters in the Disney canon. At first, you wouldn't think that label applies to Hercules. Unlike Flynn Rider, Aladdin and Kristoff, who are all orphans,Hercules has parents. Two sets of them, in fact. There are his biological godly parents, Zeus and Hera, plus his adoptive mortal ones, Amphitryon and Alcmene. Because this book predates the movie, taking place when Hercules is 12-years-old, Ampithryon and Alcmene are the only parents he has ever known. He has no idea about his Olympian origins. What Hercules does know is that his stronger than anyone else he knows. Just like in the movie, his strength causes him to be clumsy, which makes him an outcast in his town. Interestingly enough, both this book and the movie begin with Hercules accidentally destroying an agora.
To make up for the destruction of the agora, Hercules agrees to help an old woman named Elpida by working in her olive grove. That seems to be going well, but then the grove is also destroyed. And Hercules is immediately blamed for it. The new kid in town, a 14-year-old boy named Theseus, jumps to Hercules' defense. (Side note: If you have any familiarity with Greek mythology, you know that Theseus goes on to be a great hero in his own right.) Nike, the goddess of victory appears. She decrees that Hercules and Theseus will travel to Athens and bring back 2 different items. The 1st is a seed from the original olive tree that Athena herself planted in her namesake city. The 2nd is the Cretan bull. The two boys only have a week to complete their quest.
Along the way, Hercules and Theseus face many obstacles. They learn a lot about each other and themselves. At long last, they reach Athens. They find the olive branch and capture the bull. Upon returning home, Hercules and Theseus discover that Elpida, is no ordinary old lady. She was Athena in disguise the whole time. Upon reflection, I should have figured that out earlier than I did. But it was still a great twist either way.
Lost Legends: Go the Distance is the 2nd book in the Lost Legends series that I have rated 5 stars. The 1st was Lost Legends: The Fixer Upper. This book was incredible! I just realized something. Go the Distance is the 3rd consecutive book I've read in 2025 so far to feature Hercules as a character. He showed up in both Queer Mythology: Epic Legends from Around the World, by Guido A. Sanchez and Greeking Out: Heroes and Olympians, by Kenny Curtis and Jillian Hughes. I had no idea that would be the case. So, I didn't plan on it, like I did with reading 3 Christmas-themed books that I got for Christmas. (Sally's Lament: A Twisted Tale, by Mari Mancusi; The Nightmare Before Kissmas, by Sara Raasch and You Better Watch Out, by James S. Murray and Darren Wearmouth.) But I do think it's funny how things ended up working out that way.
With Lost Legends: Zero to Hero, which is named for another well-known song from the movie, Herc takes center stage. The premise of the whole Lost Legends series is that they're about the boyhoods of the most roguish male characters in the Disney canon. At first, you wouldn't think that label applies to Hercules. Unlike Flynn Rider, Aladdin and Kristoff, who are all orphans,Hercules has parents. Two sets of them, in fact. There are his biological godly parents, Zeus and Hera, plus his adoptive mortal ones, Amphitryon and Alcmene. Because this book predates the movie, taking place when Hercules is 12-years-old, Ampithryon and Alcmene are the only parents he has ever known. He has no idea about his Olympian origins. What Hercules does know is that his stronger than anyone else he knows. Just like in the movie, his strength causes him to be clumsy, which makes him an outcast in his town. Interestingly enough, both this book and the movie begin with Hercules accidentally destroying an agora.
To make up for the destruction of the agora, Hercules agrees to help an old woman named Elpida by working in her olive grove. That seems to be going well, but then the grove is also destroyed. And Hercules is immediately blamed for it. The new kid in town, a 14-year-old boy named Theseus, jumps to Hercules' defense. (Side note: If you have any familiarity with Greek mythology, you know that Theseus goes on to be a great hero in his own right.) Nike, the goddess of victory appears. She decrees that Hercules and Theseus will travel to Athens and bring back 2 different items. The 1st is a seed from the original olive tree that Athena herself planted in her namesake city. The 2nd is the Cretan bull. The two boys only have a week to complete their quest.
Along the way, Hercules and Theseus face many obstacles. They learn a lot about each other and themselves. At long last, they reach Athens. They find the olive branch and capture the bull. Upon returning home, Hercules and Theseus discover that Elpida, is no ordinary old lady. She was Athena in disguise the whole time. Upon reflection, I should have figured that out earlier than I did. But it was still a great twist either way.
Lost Legends: Go the Distance is the 2nd book in the Lost Legends series that I have rated 5 stars. The 1st was Lost Legends: The Fixer Upper. This book was incredible! I just realized something. Go the Distance is the 3rd consecutive book I've read in 2025 so far to feature Hercules as a character. He showed up in both Queer Mythology: Epic Legends from Around the World, by Guido A. Sanchez and Greeking Out: Heroes and Olympians, by Kenny Curtis and Jillian Hughes. I had no idea that would be the case. So, I didn't plan on it, like I did with reading 3 Christmas-themed books that I got for Christmas. (Sally's Lament: A Twisted Tale, by Mari Mancusi; The Nightmare Before Kissmas, by Sara Raasch and You Better Watch Out, by James S. Murray and Darren Wearmouth.) But I do think it's funny how things ended up working out that way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 9, 2024
An interesting idea of looking back at Hercules when he was only 10 and trying to figure out who he was. Hercules is teased mercilessly by all of the people in his village due to his excess strength that causes pretty awful clumsiness. The only one to give Hercules a chance is the new kid in town, Theseus, When an olive grove is destroyed, and Hercules is blamed, the two boys wind up on a quest to appease Athena. While it wasn't the most riveting story, it was a great way to introduce middle grade readers to Greek Mythology and stories that are important building blocks. Hercules and Theseus each had to learn about effective communication, trusting someone else, and believing in themselves. I'm not sure that I would read the others in this series, but I am glad that I know about them.
Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Publishing for a digital review copy. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Publishing for a digital review copy. All opinions are my own.
March 3, 2025
Hercules is 12 years old, with no friends, and no awareness of his own strength.
When at the agora with his Pa ends up in disaster with one of the stalls, he promises to make it up by helping make up the stock and rebuilding the stall that was ruined.
Once finally done, Herc attends the agora again with his Pa only to be blamed for something that he didn't do, this time though, it not only angers the villagers but also the God Athena and Nike.
To make this right, one of the boys; Thesueses volunteers to go on the quest made by the gods, they agree to this but only if Hercules goes along too. Hercules is excited to make a friend and go on an adventure, even though they will come across a lot of danger including monsters and trickery, and eventually they realise they must work together if they want to get back to their families in one piece and complete the quest.
When at the agora with his Pa ends up in disaster with one of the stalls, he promises to make it up by helping make up the stock and rebuilding the stall that was ruined.
Once finally done, Herc attends the agora again with his Pa only to be blamed for something that he didn't do, this time though, it not only angers the villagers but also the God Athena and Nike.
To make this right, one of the boys; Thesueses volunteers to go on the quest made by the gods, they agree to this but only if Hercules goes along too. Hercules is excited to make a friend and go on an adventure, even though they will come across a lot of danger including monsters and trickery, and eventually they realise they must work together if they want to get back to their families in one piece and complete the quest.
March 25, 2025
I've loved all the other books in this series, but this one just didn’t hit the mark for me. Maybe it’s because I was never particularly attached to Hercules, even when I was a kid! I found myself getting bored while reading this book. There were parts where I ended up skipping most of the narrative and just reading the dialogue. That said, I really enjoyed the chapters featuring Pain, Panic, and Hades! I expected this book to be a cozy, quick read, but it ended up taking me almost three weeks to finish just 180 pages. Maybe if you're a bigger fan of Hercules than I am, you'll enjoy this book more, but sadly, it wasn’t for me. However, I still highly recommend the other books in this series!
December 27, 2024
LOST LEGENDS: ZERO TO HERO tells the story of a young Hercules who can’t seem to stay out of his own way. After he’s wrongfully accused of destroying an olive grove, drawing the wrath of Athena, he must make things right by completing a quest. After newcomer to town Theseus comes to his defense, the two set out on a challenging journey to Athens. Along the way, they need to learn how to work cooperatively and use each other’s strengths to be successful in the face of various fierce mythical creatures.
An action filled story that not only provides readers with an introduction to classic Greek mythology, but includes an engaging story about the power of teamwork.
An action filled story that not only provides readers with an introduction to classic Greek mythology, but includes an engaging story about the power of teamwork.
October 23, 2024
What a fun back story for Hercules. I love that it highlights two different Greek heros as children. The fact that Theseus and Hercules get to go on a quest together just makes sense. Their independent qualities balanced each other out beautifully and once they realized how to work together, they made a great team. This book is just a joy. I quite like this series and am excited Disney is looking at highlighting different stories for all the characters they have picked.
Thank you so much to Disney Publishing and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.
Thank you so much to Disney Publishing and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.
November 6, 2024
Set in the village of Argos, twelve year old Hercules is shunned and ridiculed by the village children.
When a new boy, named Theseus arrives, Elpida’s olive grove is destroyed.
Nike, Athena’s messenger sets the two boys on a quest. If they fail, Athena will destroy Argos.
For readers who are unfamiliar with the short run animated series.
When a new boy, named Theseus arrives, Elpida’s olive grove is destroyed.
Nike, Athena’s messenger sets the two boys on a quest. If they fail, Athena will destroy Argos.
For readers who are unfamiliar with the short run animated series.
March 21, 2025
5 star read, you can’t go wrong with Jen Calonita!
I love the stories she creates with the Disney characters we all know and love and gives them such an interesting backstory.
I can’t wait to see and read the backstories to the characters she comes up with next 🩷
I love the stories she creates with the Disney characters we all know and love and gives them such an interesting backstory.
I can’t wait to see and read the backstories to the characters she comes up with next 🩷
Want to read
April 16, 2025O
May 8, 2025
Fun to read. Interesting story.
August 7, 2025
Out of the three books so far in ther series, this one wasn’t catching me as much as the others did.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews